Manpreet, Mehakdeep, Ashika shine in baseball championship

Our Sports Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 27

Ludhiana girls Manpreet Kaur, Mehakdeep and Ashika played a pivotal role in the Punjab team’s title victory in the 31st Junior National Baseball Championship, held from March 22-26 at Mastuana Sahib in Sangrur district.

On their way to the final, Punjab outnumbered Odisha 12-2, overwhelmed Telangana 11-1 and defeated Maharashtra 6-4 to secure a berth in the semi-finals wherein they beat Kerala 4-1 in which Ashika, Manpreet and Mehakdeep chipped in with one run each to help their side seal a place in the final against Delhi.

In the final, Punjab got the better of Delhi whom they trounced 6-4 wherein again, the Ludhiana girls contributed one run each while Simranjeet Kaur from Jagraon accounted for one run and wrapped up the title. Mehakdeep was declared the best pitcher of the tournament.

In the boys’ section, Punjab secured the silver medal. After outplaying Kerala 10-0, outwitting Jammu and Kashmir 12-2, defeating Chandigarh 10-4 and prevailing over Rajasthan 1-0, Punjab made it to the final. However, they went down fighting against Maharashtra 3-4 and had to content with the runners-up trophy.

Jaswant Singh Khera, secretary, Akal College Council, Mastuana Sahib, and Surinder Singh Bharoor, state prize awardee, gave away the prizes. Harish Kumar, secretary general, Baseball Federation of India, and Sukhdev Singh Aulakh, president, Punjab Baseball Association, were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.

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